<Scroll down to bypass my narrative and see how to make a custom armrest hinge. My procedure was successful for me but in no way I guarantee success for anyone else. The thread is only for informational purposes only.>
Soon after I bought my 2000 Boxster I was wriggling around in the drivers seat with the armrest storage door open and yes you guessed it I broke one of the two hinges that attached it to the car. Despite nursing the armrest door along for eight months, the second hinge broke today leaving me with that sinking feeling.
Even though I knew better I spent all morning and part of the afternoon going back and forth to the car parts store/hardware store to buy different epoxies to glue the hinges back together. $20 (and one smelly interior) later I gave up.
I remember reading that an outfit makes an upgraded (bigger storage compartment) armrest. I remember reading them boasting that their hinge is easy to install and much stronger than the OEM hinge. In order to replace the old hinge with an OEM one it looks like a lot of the center console needs to be removed. I hate that kind of stuff. Having never seen the product with the improved hinge I decided to reproduce one. I was successful. I fabricated the hinge and installed it in less than 25 minutes using items I had laying around my garage. Below is how I did it.
1) Remove the armrest. Use an Allen wrench and remove the top cover of the armrest off the inner portion.
2) Remove any remaining hinges on the top portion of the armrest hinge area. Leaving a flat area.
3)Using thin sheet metal (about 1mm thick) and tin snips I cut a rectangular piece of metal which would fit into the recess of the inner part of the armrest and extend to the area where the hinges need to be. Note the length is twice the area from the back of the recess area to the hinge area. I folded the metal over creating the hinge.
4)Where the metal folded over I put the retaining pin from the armrest and created the hinge. I used pliers and pinched the metal tight over pin creating a uniform cylinder .
5)With a laundry marker I marked where to cut excess metal on the hinge end. My hinge utilizes the center portion of the hinge area in addition to the driver and passenger side. (see first photo) The addition of a third inner hinge creates a stronger hinge. The metal in between the outer and center hinges was bent in and crimped.
6)At this point I cut excess off the hinge area and the recess area to ensure smooth movement.
7)I cut four holes in the flat part of the metal
8)With the retaining pin removed I put the new hinge in the armrest and the inner lid on top. I marked where the predrilled holes were and with some wood screws screwed the hinge plate into the car.
9)Replace the retaining pin. Replace the top outer portion of the armrest.
10)Paint the hinge Black. That’s it!!!
If I was not clear at any part of my description please feel free to ask. I should have taken more photos during the process. When I get a chance I am going to replace the screws with ones that have a lower profile.
Soon after I bought my 2000 Boxster I was wriggling around in the drivers seat with the armrest storage door open and yes you guessed it I broke one of the two hinges that attached it to the car. Despite nursing the armrest door along for eight months, the second hinge broke today leaving me with that sinking feeling.
Even though I knew better I spent all morning and part of the afternoon going back and forth to the car parts store/hardware store to buy different epoxies to glue the hinges back together. $20 (and one smelly interior) later I gave up.
I remember reading that an outfit makes an upgraded (bigger storage compartment) armrest. I remember reading them boasting that their hinge is easy to install and much stronger than the OEM hinge. In order to replace the old hinge with an OEM one it looks like a lot of the center console needs to be removed. I hate that kind of stuff. Having never seen the product with the improved hinge I decided to reproduce one. I was successful. I fabricated the hinge and installed it in less than 25 minutes using items I had laying around my garage. Below is how I did it.
1) Remove the armrest. Use an Allen wrench and remove the top cover of the armrest off the inner portion.
2) Remove any remaining hinges on the top portion of the armrest hinge area. Leaving a flat area.
3)Using thin sheet metal (about 1mm thick) and tin snips I cut a rectangular piece of metal which would fit into the recess of the inner part of the armrest and extend to the area where the hinges need to be. Note the length is twice the area from the back of the recess area to the hinge area. I folded the metal over creating the hinge.
4)Where the metal folded over I put the retaining pin from the armrest and created the hinge. I used pliers and pinched the metal tight over pin creating a uniform cylinder .
5)With a laundry marker I marked where to cut excess metal on the hinge end. My hinge utilizes the center portion of the hinge area in addition to the driver and passenger side. (see first photo) The addition of a third inner hinge creates a stronger hinge. The metal in between the outer and center hinges was bent in and crimped.
6)At this point I cut excess off the hinge area and the recess area to ensure smooth movement.
7)I cut four holes in the flat part of the metal
8)With the retaining pin removed I put the new hinge in the armrest and the inner lid on top. I marked where the predrilled holes were and with some wood screws screwed the hinge plate into the car.
9)Replace the retaining pin. Replace the top outer portion of the armrest.
10)Paint the hinge Black. That’s it!!!
If I was not clear at any part of my description please feel free to ask. I should have taken more photos during the process. When I get a chance I am going to replace the screws with ones that have a lower profile.
Quite clever what you did.